JANUARY 21, 2015 - VOLUME 31, ISSUE 3
The
Molokai Dispatch T H E I S L A N D ’S N E W S S O U R C E S I N C E 1985
Farmers Outstanding in their Fields By Colleen Uechi | Staff Writer
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olokai High teams made a strong showing against league opponents over the weekend, bringing home wins on the water, the court and the mat.
Wrestling Molokai’s wrestling team is short on funds but not on talent. On Saturday the Farmers left their first MIL meet of the season with six titles, the most of any team. Lahainaluna had the second best performance with five titles. Four Molokai girls were crowned champions of their weight classes. Kailaoe Cabanting (117 pound class), Alexandria Simon (132), Saydee Makaiwi (138) and Jasmyn Davis (184) won titles for the Farmers. Molokai’s Sonny Balbas (138) and Kui Han (285) won two titles for the boys. “It was especially good to see some of our first year wrestlers do well,” said Coach Randy Manley. “This is the first meet of the season, so there's still a lot of wrestling to do.” Although the team only has funding to attend two of six MIL meets this season, Manley said they’re fundraising hard and staying positive in the meantime.
Heroes Among Us: Michael 4 SURVIVE EMERGENCY Helm LANDING IN HALAWA
By Colleen Uechi | Staff Writer
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privately-owned single-engine Cessna 172 carrying a pilot and three passengers made a forced landing in Halawa Valley last Friday afternoon, according to the Maui Fire Department. Ian Gregor, Public Affairs Manager for the Federal Aviation Association, said the plane “reportedly lost engine power.” The aircraft was reported to have landed in the trees at an elevation of about 3,000 feet. Maui Fire Department personnel airlifted passengers as well as pilot and plane owner Michael Richards from the crash site to a landing zone at Pu`u O Hoku Ranch.
One unidentified female passenger was taken by Medevac to Maui Memorial Hospital in serious condition. Richards and two passengers, one male and one female, were transported to Molokai General Hospital for treatment for minor injuries. “I’m fine. I don’t need a ride,” Richards told first responders at the landing zone. The names of the passengers had not been released as of Sunday. Fire Captain Kekoa Puhi said the emergency call came in at around 3 p.m. All of the victims had been taken to the hospital before 5 p.m.
Molokai High School and we will be releasing that in the next few days,” he said, amid cheers. “I know that the challenges for public education are different in rural communities, and we will be working with you to assure that your children have all the opportunities they deserve.” Dawn, a vice principal of an el-
Ige Continued pg. 2
Veteran Continued pg. 3
Pilot Michael Richards treated for minor injuries. Photo by Colleen Uechi
Sports Continued pg. 4
THIS WEEK’S
Dispatch
Christmas Bird Count Pg. 4
Fashion Show Spotlights Self-Confidence Pg. 6
Gov. Ige Thanks Molokai By Catherine Cluett | Editor-In-Chief
Photo by Catherine Cluett
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ewly-elected Governor David Ige and his family visited Molokai for a mahalo luncheon last week Saturday to thank Friendly Isle residents for their support during his campaign. “Every time we were here, [my wife] Dawn and I really enjoyed your hospitality and the warmth with which we were received,” said Ige. “Because Molokai is rural, [you] did a lot for our campaign that’s sometimes invisible. We wanted to thank each and every one of you for the hours to sign wave, put up signs and talking to friends and neighbors… that is really what allowed us to be successful.” Ige, Dawn and their son Matthew greeted a crowd of eager residents and enjoyed lunch and entertainment. “He’s the most easy-going, laid back guy,” said Lynn DeCoite, one of Ige’s campaign leaders on Molokai. “You can run up to him and tell him anything you want.” Both Ige and Dawn spoke passionately about education. “We had grant-in-aid to support
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or a long time, Michael Helm wasn’t proud to be a veteran, but it was a feeling he kept to himself. Helm grew up on Molokai as the son of beloved island veteran, the late Larry Helm, who served in Vietnam and was heavily involved in veterans’ affairs on Molokai. “It was kinda hard ‘cause my dad was really proud I went in, and I wasn’t really proud coming out [of the military],” said Michael. “I never did get a chance to tell him about that.” Michael was never deployed to a war. However, like many veterans, during his service he was deeply impacted by the culture and system of the military, which he grew to distrust. Michael joined the Army in 1986 after a year at Chaminade University. He spent much of his time training to operate the Army’s new M1A1 tanks, cramming his 6’4” former basketball player’s frame into a tank with three other soldiers. For him, the machines were a thrill to operate, and he relished the camaraderie he shared with fellow soldiers as they rumbled through training exercises. However, what eclipsed his excitement was the lack of responsibility he said he saw within the military. He remembered seeing a fellow soldier killed during a training exercise, a tragic experience that troubled him most because they “weren’t even at war.” “I couldn’t believe they’d be so irresponsible,” said Michael, not wanting to share details of the incident. “That happens a lot in the military, a lot of accidents.” He also remembered the indifference his superiors showed towards a mentally challenged man during basic training in Kentucky. The man was the brunt of beatings within the platoon. When Michael asked his drill sergeants to discharge the man from service, they simply told Michael, the platoon leader, to look out for him. On graduation day, they sent the man through several hours of extra, unwarranted physical training, then kicked him out. The situation outraged Michael, who grew up the oldest of five siblings. He was the guy who took on bullies. He scrapped with schoolmates who gave him trouble for his “lighter skin.” He served as “the protector” of a mentally challenged neighborhood kid, remembered his mother, Barbara Helm. “As the oldest, he shared the concerns … and the ups and the downs with
Paddling In the MIL’s third regatta and Molokai’s second race at Kahului Harbor, the Molokai girls’ paddling team finished second with a time of 4:40.45. Molokai’s crew was made up of Kelsie Espiritu-Tanabe, Kaitlynn Reich-Colipano, Kama Puailihau, Puna Paleka, Hii Kanuha and Kysha Kawano. Seabury Hall’s girls won the race
By Colleen Uechi | Staff Writer
Why I fly with Makani Kai... “It’s nice to see familiar faces here,” says Kaui, “It’s more intimate, more personal that way.” Kaui also appreciates Makani Kai’s flight schedule, “It gives me more options and fits my schedule better. And you guys don’t weigh us, thank God.” Then there’s the fact that Kaui knows the folks who work here, “I’ve known Margaret…everyone calls her Mugs these days but I know her as Margaret…since we were both little kids. And I’ve known Ruby since the day she was born.”
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Molokai Dispatch
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